The Great Outdoors for Retro Rubber

At Retro Rubber Challenge Blog we have a fun challenge for the next two weeks.  As I sit at my computer and gaze at the wonderful view out my windows of the great outdoors!

My current stamp stash does not contain camping images, but I do have more than a few of the outdoor themed stamps.  I decided to combine two different companies to create the card below.

 

 

For the background of the card I used Hero Arts Layering Mountains at the Lake released in 2020.  I live on a lake now, but do not have mountains.  The background reminds me a bit of being a Dillon Reservoir in Colorado.   The front images are from Heartfelt Creations Woodsy Wonderland release in 2017.

• Memento Toffee Crunch and Rich Cocoa were used to stamp the mountains.  
• Trees are stamped in Versa Magic Tea Leaves and Spanish Olive.
•  A mask is stamped and fussy cut to allow the sky to be sponged in Versa Magic Sea Breeze.
  
• The lake was added by mixing Versa Magic Sea Breeze and Aegean Blue with bristle blending brushes.  The reflection in the water is stamped in Memento Luxe Wedding Dress.
• Woodsy Treescape and Woodsy Wonderland is stamped in Memento Tuxedo Black.  The images were colored with Prisma Colored pencils from the 48 color set I've had since about 1998! All are die cut with the matching dies.  
• Dark brown cardstock is trimmed to A-2 card size.  The center is removed with Heartfelt Creations Cut Mat Create Die 2A.  To match the interior of the frame, Fiskars Corner Rounder was used on the card base and frame 
• The Treescape is adhered to the card front and the frame is adhered over it.
• The Woodsy Wonderland image is die cut twice more and adhered to the back of the image to create a sturdy layered image.

I've not added a sentiment yet . . . might later depending on the recipient and occasion!  I'm really pleased with the final card.  Not necessarily my typical style of card right now, but I'm glad I have these stamps in my stash! 

CHALLENGE GUIDELINES

• We require stamps older than one year.  If we feel you are using newer stamps, you may be disqualified from the challenge without notification.
• New papers/dies are OK – but you must use at least one stamp older than a year and describe the age in your blog post.
• Please note that all challenges require the use of at least one stamp older than a year.
• Post your new creation to your blog or online gallery.   Use keyword RRCB238.  No backlinking. 
• Link back to the blog using the Linky Tools by the due date. 
• Enter as many times as you like. 
• Feel free to combine our challenge with a maximum of 10 challenges.  Entries linked to more than 10 challenges will be disqualified without notification.
• If your project is posted on a private group site such as Split Coast Stampers or a photo sharing site not all DT members may be able to comment.   Thank you for understanding.
• Turn off Word Verification.  We love to comment but word verification can make that difficult.

Please do join along and add your card or project to our gallery at Retro Rubber Challenge Blog!

Rainbow time for Retro Rubber

 It is time for a new spring themed challenge over at Retro Rubber! We have a few simple rules to play along.  1)  Use at least one stamp that is a year or older 2)  Tell us how old the stamp is 3)  Enter up to ten challenges including ours.  Have fun!

A few years back I purchased a club membership with The Stamps of Life.  The theme for March of 2017 was rainbows.  I've used these images a few times as they make great encouragement cards, spring time cards, and birthday cards.  All images and dies are from The Stamps of Life Rainbow2Stamp, Sayings4Rainbows, Solids4Rainbows, and Rainbows2stamp Die.  

• The rainbow and cloud image is stamped in Memento Tuxedo Black.
• Using a stamp positioner I stamped each color of the rainbow separately.  Easy, peasy with clear stamps!  The following Versa Colors were used:  Scarlet, Orange, Canary, Fresh Green, Cyan and Heliotrope.  The entire image is die cut with the outline die.
  
• A set of clouds were die cut and then stamped with Essential Glue Pad and then dusted with Fun Stamps Snow White Fun Flock.  The clouds have a slightly "fuzzy texture" if you look closely!  After drying I tapped off the excess Fun Flock.
• The background was created with a Deja Views ruler I received for National Scrapbook Day back in 2001.  It included both the sun burst and the cloud shapes.  The sunburst was traced on a post-it then fussy cut and both the positive and negative parts were used.  First I placed the post-it to ink the sun  with Canary and Orange.  Then the sun was covered while I inked in the layers of clouds using Versa Color Smoke Blue.  
  
• The sentiment is stamped in Orange and heat embossed with Iridescent Embossing Powder.  
• The base card is inked with Orange as well.  
• The layers are adhered together using foam adhesive to add a little dimension.
• The final touch was a few sequins from Spieglmomscraps Southern Blue Bells.  They are applied with On Point Glue.

 All the supplies unless other wise mentioned are by Tsukineko and Imagine. 

The day I made this card the wind was gusting to 38 MPH, but I wanted to take the photo in sunlight as the sequins, iridescent embossing powder and fun flock would all photograph better.  Solution?  Headed to my greenhouse and set up a little photo shot! 

Please do come join the fun at Retro Rubber and play along with our current challenge!  Head over and see the lovely cards the rest of the DT created for this challenge, they are lovely!

Seasons Giving winners and a few more fun things!

Wow, I have to say I’ve a busy few weeks since Christmas!  Here in Central Oregon we did not go back to school until January 8^th, so the first week was doing fun family things and taking my time putting away Christmas.  This entire week has been packed full, I taught Monday through Thursday finishing a maternity leave for a friend in science then the last two days have been spent watching High School wrestling.  For my loyal blog readers and new followers I thank you for your patience as real life has been too hectic to tend to my blog!

So the first of the announcements is the winners of my Seasons Giving blog hop prizes.  I thankful for all of my new blog followers and those who now follow by email.  Thank you!  If was fun to read through your crafting goals for 2018.  Most of us want to craft more, share more, learn new techniques, and get organized.  All excellent goals to work towards, but remember that crafting is our hobby and it should bring us joy along the way!  Now for the winners!

The winner of the US give away is

kReN K

and the winner of the international give away is

Dr Sonia

Besides announcing the winners of the blog hop I have a fun surprise to share with you as well! I was recently selected as a new Design Team Member for Quick Quotes.  A company I have long admired for their colorful papers and embellishments has asked me to create with their wonderful line of products!  Here is the announcement on the Quick Quotes blog.

Finally here is a little crafty inspiration! 

I like playing with my layering stamps and trying out different color combinations!  These sweet butterflies are from the Hero Arts CL867 Color Layering Butterflies & Frame Cuts.  The butterflies are stamped in Memento Lulu Lavendaer, Grape Jelly, Elderberry, Angel Pink, Lilac Posies, Pear Tart and Bamboo Leaves.  I added Versa Mark over the top and heat embossed with Iridescent embossing powder.  The background is Crafter’s Workshop Mini Flutterby TCS 206s the and Fireworks Lilac Posies and Lulu Lavender.  The sentiment and card edges use Elderberry Memento Luxe which is heat embossed with Iridescent embossing powder.  Thanks so much for stopping by!

Quick and Easy Gift Ornaments

One of my favorite traditions since childhood is crafting a new ornament for the Christmas Tree.  I have carried on in this tradition for this season and made a few ornaments to give as gifts as well.  It is so easy and quick with flat glass ornaments, stencils, and Creative Medium.  All three ornaments took less than 20 minutes to create.  I plan on making a few to share with my family and to use as hostess gifts for a upcoming Christmas parties.

Do stop by the Imagine Blog and check out the quick and easy tutorial!

Imagine:

            Creative Medium—Clear, Silver, Gold

            Embossing Powder—Candy Red

            Palette Knife

Other:

            Flat Round Glass Ornaments

Clear Scraps—Hope Is stencil

            Stencil Girl—Three Trees stencil

            Momenta—Celebrate Adhesive Stencil

            Painters tape

            Decorative snow

            Shimmer Tinsel

            Cotton swab

Regal Purple Masquerade Mask

One of my favorite colors is purple, and with Halloween right around the corner I decided to make myself a fun Masquerade Mask to celebrate the season. You can totally customize the perfect mask for your Halloween party or to answer the door for Trick-or-Treaters  Check out the post on the Imagine Blog for this and other fun ideas!

Skill level: Advanced Time: 2hours

Directions: 

 

Step One:
Measure to determine the width needed for the mask and sketch the mask on scrap paper folded in half. Cut out the mask and eye holes and check for fit. Adjust as necessary, the crazy cross-eyed look is optional!

Step Two
Place pattern over thick fun foam and cut out with scissors and craft knife. 

Step Three:

Die cut embellishments.  The lace edging is die cut from white wool felt.  Wool felt is easily die cut and can be colored with All Purpose Ink.  Synthetic craft felt will not give the same results.  Embellishments are die cut from Snakeskin Vertigo, but any Vertigo will work well as the pieces are small enough only the iridescent effect is apparent.

 

Step Four:
Spread Creative Medium in Purple Iridescent over the surface of the mask and set aside to dry. 

 

Step Five:
Mix Ink Potion No.9 and All Purpose Ink in Thistle in a small spray bottle. I wanted my lace a dark purple so I added about 20 drops to the small bottle which was filled about quarter way with Ink Potion No. 9. 

 

Step Six
Spritz wool felt die cut lace and 48 inches of silk 1⁄4” ribbon with API mixture. I moved the felt and ribbon around on my work surface to soak up the API to obtain the dark Thistle color. Set aside to dry.

 

Step Seven
Adhere the wool felt lace with a glue dot type of adhesive. I used Therm O Web Zips Ultra Thin. Adhere jewel bling to the front of the Vertigo die cuts and adhere to the mask with glue dots behind the bling. Take care in the application as the glue dots will lift the dried Creative Medium from the fun foam if you try to move them after the first touch.

 

 

Step Eight
Mark and punch holes to apply an eyelete on each edge of the mask. Thread the ribbon through the holes to tie the mask into place.

Imagine

·      Creative Medium--Purple Iridescent

·      Ink Potion No. 9

·      All Purpose Ink—Thistle

·      Vertigo

·      Craft mat

·      Palette Knife

·      Spray Bottle

·      Ink Dropper

Other

·      Black Fun foam

·      White wool felt

·      White silk ribbon

·      Spellbinders Moroccan Accents, Moroccan Motifs

·      Various sizes of jewel bling

·      2 coordinating eyelets

·      Therm O Web Zip Ultra Thin

·      Glue dots

 

Xyron and Imagine Blog Hop Hanging Terrarium

It is time to blog hop with Imagine and Xyron!  I have been using products from both companies for years and was delighted to come up a unique way to incorporate them together into a beautiful home décor hanging terrarium.  I have wanted an air plant for a while and decided this would be the perfect home to display my new indoor low maintenance plant.

 

Level:  Beginner

Time:  1 hour of actual crafting time, with many “drying” time breaks.

Directions:

 

Step One

Choose two or three small and simple dies for leaves and butterflies.  I used two different Quickutz leaf dies and Impression Obsession Mini Butterflies.  Trim a section of aluminum foil to 5” or 6” by 2 ½” and run it through the Xyron 250 Create-a-sticker with a Repositionable cartridge.   Do not be concerned with slight wrinkling of the aluminum foil as it will not affect the outcome of your project.  Die cut two or three of the dies chosen for the design leaving about ¼” margin around each die cut.  I die cut from both sides to allow some mirror imaging of the designs. 

 

Step Two

Cut each die cut area into separate pieces.  Remove die cut and discard, keep the exterior section as your stencil.  Carefully remove surrounding aluminum foil from the backing paper. It may tear--but it will repair easily as you use it as a sticker stencil.  Lay each aluminum foil sticker stencil on glass terrarium.  Adjust the edges as needed with tweezers.  The ease of aluminum foil stencils with repositionable adhesive allows you a bit of wiggle room to fold edges back as needed to allow for a curved surface.  Ink with StazOn ink and Ink Blusher until it is the desired hue.  The green leaves are a Forest Green, Cactus Green, and a combination of both.  Remove first set of stencils and set project aside to dry for 20-30 minutes.  Remove first set of stencils and set project aside to dry for 20-30 minutes.  If you try to hurry the GlazOn will lift the StazOn ink from your project, causing you to have to re-ink an area.  (Learned by experience!)      

 

Step Three

Carefully sponge GlazOn over the first images.  Set aside to dry for 20-30 minutes.

Step Four

Repeat steps two and three with additional aluminum foil stencils to complete design until you are satisfied with the placement and amount of color.  Some of your stencils may need an extra little masking, I used some of the spare aluminum foil sticker to provide more coverage where it was needed along a very thin border section.  

Step Five

Repeat steps two and three with butterfly stencils.  The butterflies are inked with Orange Zest, Blazing Red, and Royal Purple.

Step Six

Add decorative moss and air plant and proudly display in your home.  Mine is hanging in my bathroom and will go along on a cross country trip in my motorhome as well.  Need to keep that little plant alive for 3 weeks!

Products

Imagine

• StazOn in Forest Green, Cactus Green, Orange Zest, Blazing Red, and Royal Purple
• Ink Blusher
• GlazOn in Clear

Other

• Xyron 250 Create-a-sticker
• Xyron 250 Repositionable cartridge
• SPC 5” Glass wall terrarium
• Aluminum Foil
• Tweezers
• Foam Brush
• Decorative moss
• Air Plant

Anything But a Card Friendship ATC Booklet

This month the challenge over at Anything But a Card is to create a project that celebrates Friendship.  There are so many sayings that give us an understanding of friendship . . . and I have several that are stamps in my collection!  Artist Trading Cards are one way to make new friends and share art at the same time.  I have a collection that dates back to 2006 from the now defunct Memory Makers forum.  I have remained friends with many of my ATC trading friends through new forums and now in blogland too.  Another reason to dabble in ATC creation is the small "canvas" size that allows experimentation with a number of fun techniques.  I am glad that you have stopped by to see the full version of my ATC Friend booklet.

Front Cover, ATC 1

I knew that I wanted to make a collection of ATCs for this project.  So I decided to make a booklet along the lines of the tutorial over at Splitcoast Stampers.  I choose to make my booklet from 8” x 12” card stock and fold at 3”, 6”, and 9” on the long direction and 4” on the short direction.  The card stock was stamped with a Fiskars’s roller stamp and Tsukineko Kaleidacolor Berry Blaze.  After training the folds the edges were inked in corresponding colors.  The front cover edge was slit and ribbon was adhered inside, the back cover has an open edge and the corresponding back ribbon was adhered inside.  Each page was adhered together to form the booklet.

While I design my ATC I kept the rule of threes in mind.  The ATC needs three things:  a background, a focal image (in this case the friendship sayings), and an embellishment.

ATC 1 (front cover)

I wanted to play a little with my Superior Palette Stamp & Stick Gluepad that I’ve owned for awhile.  I stamped glossy card stock with a star image from Technique Tuesday Twinkle Twinkle set and “friend” sentiment from Stampendous Happy Messages.  After the images are heated I gently brushed Jacquard Products Pearl Ex Flamingo Pink across the image with a paint brush and buffed.  Using a soft foam roller (normally used for small household paint jobs) I added Tsukineko Kaleidacolor Denim ink over the top of the image then inked the edges with the darkest blue.  My Moments Paper Roses were the final touch to embellish the ATC.

ATC 2 and ATC #

ATC 2

This saying I found on the Internet and printed it on white card stock.  Using the same soft foam roller I inked the ATC with Tsukinkeo Kaliedacolor Berry Blaze over the sentiment and inked the edges with the darker purple.  The Inkadinkado image is stamped in Berry Blaze just below the sentiment.  The finishing touch is a bit of bakers twine tied in a small multi-loop bow.

A few process photos

ATC 3

I stamped the sentiment from Hampton Art on white card stock.  I used several pastel pink and purple chalks from Decorating Chalks with a stencil from Recollections I recently received as a prize from winning a challenge.  A few buttons from my stash and white craft thread finish the ATC.

ATC 4 and ATC 5

ATC 4

This is actually the first ATC I created and I did a bit of experimenting with the Superior Palette Stamp & Stick Gluepad and different media.  I tried foiling with no success, glitter (too chunky), and finally the dry Pearl Ex.  The images are stamped and heat embossed on black glossy card stock before brushing Duo Red-Blue and Flamingo Pink Pearl Ex over the images.  There really is a nice iridescence to the Pearl Ex that does not show in the photographs.  The frame is by Sweet Impression (in my stash forever!) and the sentiment is by Creative Cousins.   I added a heart shaped paper clip to the ATC.   ATC can be created either portrait or landscape style as shown with this image.

ATC 5

This was another experimentation ATC.  I finally went with using the Tim Holtz Mini Mask Compass to create the background image FIRST on white card stock, then printing the saying over the top.  This saying I found on the Internet as well.  The Jacquard Products Pearl Ex is mixed 4 parts to 1 part of powdered Gum Arabic.  I have used this process a few times and created my own well plate from an old candy box.  I add just enough water to make the well moist enough to use the Pearl Ex as a paint.  The water evaporates and the remaining pigment and gum Arabic are good to go for the next round.  After printing the sentiment over the image, I added the small watch by Recollections with a small black brad.   The edges are inked with Tsukineko Memento Tuxedo Black.  

ATC 6 and ATC 7

ATC 6

The image by Hero Arts was inked with Tsukineko Memento Luxe Tuxedo Black and heat embossed with clear embossing powder on white glossy card stock.  The leaves were colored in with Chameleon YG3 Spring Meadow.  The image was masked with a fussy cut post-it mask and then the edges were inked with a Tim Holtz handle and Adirondack alcohol inks in Purple Twilight and Wild Plum.  I added a flower brad over the top of the stamped flower with a Liquid Pearls Lavender Lace center and a little dragonfly brad to finish the ATC.

ATC 7

I used another saying from the Internet and then inked the white card stock with Tsukinkeo Kaliedacolor Denim and the soft foam roller.   The star image by Personal Stamp Exchange is inked in Tsukinkeo Encore Silver and stamped around the sentiment.  The brad was inked with Tsukinkeo  StazOn Azure to match the ATC, and the edges of the angel were inked to help her stand out from the background.  Mrs Grossman’s Vellum Vines Silver & Rose finish the ATC as a frame around the edges. 

To say I used just a few supplies would be an understatement . . . !

Almost everything used in creating this project.

  

Whew!  Thanks for stopping by and checking out my Friendship project, and as always, please join our challenge at Anything But a Card!  As a final note I wanted to show you just a portion of the experimental failures for this project . . . just so you know that playing with our inks, paper, and media is a process and is meant to be fun!

The not ready for prime time ATC versions!

I would like to enter my ATC Friend Booklet in the following challenges:

We Do Doobado #3 Hearts and Flowers-Flowers on the cover and ATC 6, hearts in ATC 2, ATC 3, and ATC 4

Suzy Bee’s Bloomin’ Challenge Blog #66 Anything goes with wings—Wings on ATC 6

dragonfly and ATC 7 Angel

Simply Create Too #78 Use Hearts--hearts in ATC 2, ATC 3, and ATC 4

QRK Stampede Challenge #125 Anything But a Card

 

Bonneville Salt Flats

This past summer we trekked to Colorado for the BNAC sailboat race, see this post for a mini album that chronicles that wonderful week.  We took a little longer route home and drove across Utah to see the Bonneville Salt Flats and discovered an incredible scene.  The colors were absolutely wonderful, the photos don’t do them justice, wading in the water over salt crystals was an incredible experience for everyone! 

The beauty of the photos called for a clean and simple approach that highlights the colors of the photos.  The layout came together very quickly and needed very little embellishment.

 

There is a panoramic feature on my camera that I used to take the photo spread across the top of the layout.  If you look closely, my husband and two sons are in the photo.  With a little editing in Photoshop I was able to print the photo in a 3” x 24” format.  One 10” x 12’ print from Costco was then trimmed to size.  The Scrappy Cat Travel Phrases sentiments are stamped directly on the photos with Tsukineko StazOn Jet Black.  The colors if the Stamping Station Utah Map paper (languishing in my stash for many years) coordinated better than I could have hoped!  The photos are matted on Core'dinations card stock, and the layout base is Waussau Textures black card stock.  The black card stock just called out for me to use my old Zig Writer Chalk Collection in yellow with a Tim Holtz Mini Mask Compass.  Journaling was done in Ranger White Opaque pen.  For the final touch I used a few coordinating grommets found in my stash . . . of which I do not recall the manufacturer.

Journaling reads:

On our return trip home from Colorado we choose to go through Utah and visit the Bonneville Salt Flats, which were flooded for the first time in 100 years for Speed Week.  We stopped to enjoy the incredible colors of the sunset and a wade in the Great Salt Lake.  August 9, 2014

This layout is entered in the following challenges:

Craft Hoarders Anonymous  #22 Have a Nice Trip

Speed Craft Challenge Anything Goes with a twist, use a stencil
(After preparing the photos and supplies it took 14 minutes to assemble the layout, the most time consuming portion was coloring the stencil shape)

Simon Says Anything Goes 
Use Your Stuff Challenge Blog #166 Anything Goes

ABAC STEAMPUNKtember

Front

I am very honored to announce that I have been selected to the Design Team at Anything But A Card, where our current challenge is STEAMPUNKtember.  I had a great deal of fun creating this steam punk composition book.  The challenge encouraged me to create some really cool background paper and add elements to enhance the steam punk feel.  I picked up a vinyl cover to go over the composition book so the three-dimensional elements would not get destroyed with use.  

 

Go check our ABAC current challenge Anything But A Card.  We would love to have you play along and join the fun!

Supplies: 

Ideology:  Film Strip Ribbon, Tissue Tape, Game Spinners, Mini Mask Compass, Mask Timeworks, Remnant Rubs Numbers and Elements.

Recollections:  Clock Face

Sizzix:  Gadget Gears, Mini Gears, Sizzlits Tag Tradition and Scallop, Alterations Compass and Pocket Watch

Stampers Anonymous:  Steam Punk

Technique Tuesday:  Borderline Industry

Sassafras:  I Heart Robots

Inkadinkado:  Steam Punk Collage

Momento Tuxedo Black

StazOn Black

Ranger Distress Ink Weathered Wood

Misc:  white card stock, Core’dination Whitewash, Distressed card stock in coordinating color, flat head eyelets, 3M Multi Surface Spray Adhesive, Mod Podge, varying heights of dimensional foam squares, glue dots, and composition book.

Stamp positioning plates

  The background paper was stamped Tuxedo Black Ink alternating the images to create a balanced sheet.  A stamp positioner is vital to get the images where you want them in the background.  The images were first stamped on an acrylic positioning plates with StazOn Black.  Since I had so many images I wanted to use I stamped each one in the corner of the plate so I had 8 images on two plates. 

Background paper masked & inked

Background paper stamped

The masks were placed over the stamped images and Weathered Wood Ink was sponged around the masks.  Tim Holtz has a great how to video on YouTube Here.

 

Die cut two sets of Mini gears and Gadget Gears, one in each color.  Die cut one set of alternating colors of Tags in Traditional and Scalloped.  Distress the Whitewash die cuts with sandpaper and ink the Weathered Wood die cuts.   

Pressure emboss Compass and Pocket Watch on Weathered wood card stock.  Fussy cut the compass and two pocket watches.   Distress with Tuxedo Black ink.

Place Remnant Rubs Numbers on Film Strip Ribbon and rub to adhere.

Place selected Remnant Rubs Elements on tags and rub to adhere.  Punch a hole and set the flat head eyelets into tags.

Insert spinner into clock face with provided brad.  

Back of Composition book

Assembly:

The composition book I used had a fairly slick cover that requires a good adhesive.  I went with 3M Multi Surface Adhesive.   I trimmed the prepared background papers to size and lined up with the binding on the composition book.  Tissue tape securely adhered the edge allowing me to flip the background paper open and spray both the paper and the cover at the same time and know that it would line up.  To smooth out any air bubbles I used a rubber brayer.

The pocket watches and compass are adhered to the back cover with Mod Podge as are the first layer of gears in Whitewash on the front cover.

Detail on gears

Detail on clock face & tags

 

The three dimensional gears are adhered with varying heights of dimensional foam squares.  The thinnest layer is two stacked glue dots to just barely raise the gear.   The top layer of gears are first lined up to match (they are not symmetrical) and then offset slightly to give a shadowed effect.

Adhere clock face with glue dots and tags with varying heights of dimensional foam squares.

I have entered this into theScrapitgirl September Challenge using a stencil or mask.

Go and join the fun over there too!

Thanks for your comments, it truly makes this journey more fun to share!